Description
These Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with bursts of sweet maraschino cherries alongside rich semi-sweet chocolate chips. With a perfect balance of flavors and a hint of flaked salt on top, these cookies offer a delightful twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie. Ideal for festive gatherings, special occasions, or whenever you crave a bakery-style treat at home.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) salted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mix-ins & Toppings
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup maraschino cherries, patted dry and chopped
- Flaked salt, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This ensures your cookies bake evenly and prevents sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside; this creates the base structure for your cookies.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This helps create a soft, chewy texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and additional egg yolk, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla extract, ensuring an even blend of flavors.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat until just combined. Avoid over-mixing, as this can make the cookies tough.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips and Cherries: Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips and chopped, well-dried maraschino cherries. Stir until the mix-ins are evenly distributed in the dough.
- Shape the Dough: Using a cookie scoop or your hands, roll the dough into balls about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons each. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet to allow space for spreading.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are just barely set around the edges but still soft in the center. They may appear slightly underbaked but will firm up as they cool.
- Finish and Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaked salt. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Make sure to thoroughly pat dry the maraschino cherries to prevent excess moisture in the dough.
- For extra flavor, you can substitute half the semi-sweet chocolate chips with dark or white chocolate chips.
- Cookies will appear soft when first taken from the oven but will set as they cool.
- Storage: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 27mg
